Got behind on updating my status, but I'm still working through this series. Love it. ( )

Initial Thoughts

My expectations were pretty high going into this book. I loved the first one plus I had already watched season two for the tv show. I know, I know, that's terrible. But I really didn't know if I was going to like this series. It's not something I usually read but it is amazing. It was a slow paced book. That's why it took me so long to finish it. It's very interesting but there's just not a lot of action. The exciting things happen behind the scenes but it was still really interesting.

My New Best Friend

I love Tyrion. I'm sad he's a Lannister but I just love him. I love that instead of being a fighter like just about every character, he fights with his mind. He's just so smart! I hate that everyone kind of just writes him off because he's a dwarf. I don't care. I'd marry him.

My Crush

Robb Stark. We didn't see a lot of him in this book because he was away fighting wars. I still love him though. He's awesome and so young and naive. It makes him kind of cute. Also I really like John Snow minus how stupid he can be sometimes. He is a smart man.

Writing Style

The writing style in this book was intense. It's not Lord of the Rings English but it can still be tough to understand sometimes. Martin is a fantastic writer though, easily. The plot was slow building and not very action packed but it still worked in this book. I love it! He's a clever writer too because you don't know who is going to die and you don't even know who you're rooting for until you get closer to the end of the book. It's confusing but in a good way.

Closing Thoughts

This definitely isn't a happy book. If you want a happily ever after go find something else because this isn't it. It's a sad book filled with war and death. The plot expands a lot in this book too. There's a lot of things happening now and it can be hard to keep up. Just a warning! I still enjoyed it though. Once you start to remember who all the characters are, you're good to go. This is definitely an epic fantasy because it is in fact epic. It's quite beautiful actually. George R.R. Martin should be given lots of credit for having such a huge vision and actually being able to pull it off. It's great! I loved this book and can't wait to move onto the next one.

Bonus

The dragons are getting bigger! I'm excited to see what happens with them!

Quote

“People often claim to hunger for truth, but seldom like the taste when it's served up.” ( )

I enjoyed this one as much as the first one. Several kings rise up to fill the hole that Robert Baratheon has left and begin fighting amongst one another. I've heard some people say that they had trouble getting through this one--there wasn't as much action until the end, and there were more events that happened sort of off-stage with other characters hearing about them afterward. I didn't mind any of that--it still pulled me along and there were still enough characters I cared about to be able to keep reading.

I like Martin's respect for his readers in their ability to keep track of all of the important characters. I also like his style of giving his characters realistic motivations--unlike in a lot of fantasies I've read, there are few characters who are just evil for the sake of being evil, for example. Even Theon Greyjoy, whom I imagine every female reader in her right mind would hate at first, showed some tiny redeeming qualities toward the end. I even have some slight sympathy for Cersei since her attitude toward the world is understandable considering what her life has been like. Ilyn Payne, Gregor Clegane, Ramsay Snow, and Joffrey definitely need to die, though.

By now, my favorite viewpoint characters are Arya, Daenerys, and Tyrion. Catelyn, Sansa, Jon, and Bran I could give or take, although Bran is becoming more interesting. I think even if all of the Starks died by the end of the story, I'd still be happy if Daenerys united the seven kingdoms. Somehow I don't think that Martin will kill too many of the Starks, though, since it seems like he needs at least a few characters that can journey with the readership from beginning to end. I don't want any spoilers, though, so shhh. ( )

The second entry in the Song of Ice and Fire Saga, A Clash of Kings, written by George R.R. Martin begins a bit slowly, but introduces us to new viewpoint characters, such as Stannis Baratheon, the true heir to the Iron Throne. It's quite clear by the end of Kings however, that those with the most gold and swords aligned with them can claim the throne for themselves.

The book titles have very closely followed the events of the books. In the first entry, A Game of Thrones, there is much political positioning, backstabbing, and plans being laid. It truly was a game of thrones. In A Clash of Kings, though there is still many politics going on, it truly is a clash of kings. At the beginning of the novel, there are four kings in Westeros, and fighting is occurring in all parts of the land.

The most intriguing character in the series so far, Tyrion Lannister, is serving as Hand of the King, in the stead of Joffrey's Grandfather, Tywin Lannister, who is busy fighting a war against Robb Stark. Tyrion quickly impresses with his shrewdness and aptitude for subterfuge. He has never quite shined as he does in Kings.

Though the novel is fantastic, it doesn't flow as quickly as did Thrones, and seems to wander a bit. Still, the events in the book can't be discounted. Without giving it away, suffice it to say that things are coming unraveled in Westeros, and the Reader may be surprised by how vulnerable every character is--whether we get to see through their eyes or not. Indeed, it's one of the draws to the series: no character is ever safe. New characters are frequently introduced, secondary characters slowly become more important, and major characters can be killed off and replaced. It's a refreshing change of pace from so many other novels (especially series-based books) that fail to truly put their antagonists in jeopardy, or seriously threaten their main characters. The author makes no such assumptions; everyone is cannon fodder.

A Clash of Kings takes place primarily in two locations: Winterfell, and King's Landing. Though we are taken all over the realm, to places like Riverrun, and Pyke, we don't spend nearly as much time there. We also get to go beyond the Wall for a huge portion of the book, and see how that story is beginning to unfold. Jon Snow has become yet another major player in the series, and continues to be enthralling to read about.

In the end, A Clash of Kings is a great read, and continues to develop one of the greatest Fantasy sagas of all time. ( )

I enjoyed this second installment in the series even more than the first book. A certain event at the end of A Game of Thrones (if you've read it, you know which event I mean) is the catalyst for much of this novel's action. Beloved characters from the first book are given even greater depth here, and their decisions will shape not only their own destinies, but that of those around them. The carefully-woven plot drives the story and leaves the reader wanting more. ( )

While I enjoyed the second installation of this series, it was not as good as the first book. GRR Martin seemed to wander with his writing a little too much and the plot, which was VERY broad, suffered because of it. I also think that it was far more gratuitous than the first, especially in sexual content, which was distracting and made for a less enjoyable reading experience.

I did enjoy the story and have found that the third novel, even 100 pages in, is much more refined than the second. Overall, I enjoyed it, but found myself essentially speed-reading through some of he chapters because the were bloated. ( )

Switched to the one in the Song of Fire and Ice set. ( )

Wow! I guess I'm past this book in the show, as Reek is not Theon Greyjoy. Love following Arya, Osha (Usha?), and the others. Sad to think of what's to come for Robb and Catelyn. On to Storm of Swords! ( )

Good, but didn't find it as compelling as the first book. ( )

Good, but didn't find it as compelling as the first book. ( )

Um cometa da cor de fogo e sangue corta os céus. E, da antiga cidadela de Pedra do Dragão às costas áridas de Winterfell, reina o caos.
Em A fúria dos reis , seis facções disputam o controle de uma terra dividida e o direito de ocupar o Trono de Ferro de Westeros – e estão dispostos a encarar tempestades, levantes e guerras para isso.
Nesta história, irmão trama contra irmão e os mortos se levantam para caminhar pela noite. Aqui, uma princesa se disfarça de menino órfão, um cavaleiro se prepara para encarar uma pérfida feiticeira e bárbaros descem das Montanhas da Lua para saquear os campos.
Em um contexto de incesto e fratricídio, alquimia e assassinato, a vitória será dos homens e mulheres que possuírem o mais frio aço... e o mais frio coração. Pois, quando se desperta a fúria dos reis, a terra inteira treme.

As with the first book, it seems there are many more low points than high points and an excessive amount of violence. It's a bit frustrating that it's so long yet so little progress seems made. I'm taking a break from the series for awhile (but may watch the HBO series up to this same point and see how I feel then about moving forward or moving on.) ( )

Just like the last book, I thought this was good but not terribly impressive. It reminded me a lot of Mistborn's book 2. Lots of buildup, but not much action. Also, why was Robb not a part of the story at all? He's pretty important. ( )

Martin's attention to scenic detail is fascinating. If the reader takes his or her time, then all this detail makes visualizing the scene in one's mind's eye quite plausible. What I see in my mind's eye, though, differs greatly from what I see in the HBO series. ( )

Just as brilliant as the first in the series. Awesome read. I don't normally read this type of book, but these books are fantastic. ( )

Boy is this world complicated!

I like the story and all of the moving pieces but I'm having a bit of trouble keeping track of all the minor Lords who play a part in the war.

I'm not thrilled with the supernatural stuff. The dragons bore me (so far) and the Dany stuff in general seems to distract me from my main interests. I'm sure she will become more important eventually. I hate the stuff with the red lady/witch whatever she is with Stannis and Renly. Oddly, The Others in the North beyond the Wall don't bother me much.

I want more Arya/Jon Snow/Robb and less Dany and her Dothraki. ( )

A Clash of Kings, is a great, fast read. Like other readers, I appreciate the complexity Martin lends his characters, and I think Tyrion, the Imp, is the most interesting character in the book-- simply because he is the conduit through which we learn of much of the action in the book, which centers around the intrigues at King's Landing (where he seems to be the only figure with any moral tendencies at all). I also enjoy that some of the foreshadowed developments are finally beginning to take place, i.e., the rediscovery of elements of magic in the world, what with Daenerys with her dragons and the delving into what mysteries lie behind the Wall in the north (after a disappointingly long time without any information about the mysterious "Others", who, alas, aren't really that elaborated on in this installment either)
A Clash of Kings a solid 4-star rating as a very enjoyable read, and I look forward to picking up the next book in this series. ( )

so good ( )

so good ( )

I love a big sprawling epic story as much as the next reader but this series is already a bit too much of it for me. There are just too many plot lines to really keep straight and all but the most major characters are names at best and sometimes names I can hardly remember. I did find this volume kept to one plot line a bit longer than volume 1 but that sometimes meant I was just even more lost when I got back to it. I am still finding Dany the Dragon Queen the most interesting plot and there was not much of her in this one. I'm trying to decide if I will tackle book 3 and onward in 2024, I may but I despair that there is no end in sight since I read 7 books are planned and 6 isn't even out yet.

4.5 stars, video review: https://youtu.be/7D578eZZcjw ( )

I'm madly in love with this series. This is my 3rd time re-reading the novels, and while I could never get into the TV show, going back to the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros is like wading into a warm pool. A warm pool filled with sharks, to be sure. Yet there's so much comfort among the brutality, so much humanity across the battlefronts, so much beauty among the injustice.

What I love the most about the Song of Ice and Fires series is Martin's writing. It's lush and eloquent, while at the same time just sparse enough to be highly effective at eliciting an emotional response without leaving me feeling manipulated. Part of that is Martin's incredible skill at writing dialogue--which also comes from his remarkable ability to create believable, well-developed characters.

Like everyone else, I'm eagerly awaiting a new installment in this series, but in the meantime, I'll keep going back to the earlier novels. ( )

Christ, I'm going to have to read a third one. ( )

I'm enjoying these books. I like the little cliff hanger feel at the end of each chapter. Reminds me of the old serial movies like Captain America and such. Lots of action, lots of bad guys to boo at, good guys to cheer for. Pure escapism.

I do find myself being pretty bored with one of the story lines but I'm sure it's there for a reason and will mesh in and be better eventually.
( )

More of the same as book one... Quite enjoyable, very detailed. ( )